1996 Memorial Cup

Peterborough, Ontario

The 1996 Memorial Cup occurred May 11–19 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario. It was the 78th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the host Peterborough Petes, who were also the champions of the Ontario Hockey League, as well as the OHL runner-up Guelph Storm, and the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League, which were the Granby Prédateurs and the Brandon Wheat Kings. Granby won their first Memorial Cup, over Peterborough. It was the first time since 1971 that a team from the province of Quebec won the Cup.

Granby faced the Peterborough Petes for the cup — on Peterborough ice. Inside the old arena, it climbed to a stifling 27 C during play, and fog rising from the ice made it hard for players to see. Maintenance crews came often to remove pooling water. Granby still managed a 4–0 victory, which brought the cup back to Quebec for the first time since 1971.